Hard to Forget
by afallfromgracex3
Summary: Sasuke returns to Konoha, but Naruto is gone. Naruto has been living a another life, not remembering a thing about his old one, while killing people that used to be tied to the sound village. Then he returns to Konoha for Sasuke. NARUSASU NARUITA LEMON
1. Chapter 1

**_Okay, so wow._** **Fanfiction number six. Oh. Em. Jee. lol.**

**Well, you better reveiw. Please! It may seem suckish, but trust me, it gets REALLY good. So read and reveiw if you like, alright??**

**BTW: THERE ARE NO OOCs. There are just aliases for characters.**

**-BankotsuChick**

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_Hmmm hmm hmmm-hmm-hmm."_

The subway was crowded today, for sure.

_"It's going to be here in four minutes thirty nine seconds."_

There were so many people that Naruto could barely keep his head from spinning. He hummed lightly to the imaginary song as he listened to a man's harsh breathing over thick white headphones.

_"She's going to be on the third subway to Shibuya, fourth row." The gruff whisper rasped. "Don't be caught."_

"Ha-ha. Roger that, chief." He mumbled to himself. "Hmmm, hmm, hmm-hmm." A love song, he thought idly as he stood with the other passengers like vulture. He was humming a love song. But since when was I last able to love? (1)

_A long time ago. Not that I remember._

_Haven't felt a woman's touch, only dreamed about it. The only person I've ever loved was Kirai-sama.(2)_

Finally, after what seemed like hours alone with his treacherous thoughts, the subway he had been waiting for stopped in front of him and a crowd of business men and women in dark suits trampled over the blonde.

"Lousy." He snarled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Eight in the fuckin' mornin' and I get treated like this?"

Focus. He breathed slowly and cautiously. Kill her, the world will be better off, and someday all these wretched people will get down on their hands and knees at the bad ones you've rid them of and praise you.

That is what you want, right? To be a hero and have people treat you like you're somebody?

Or has that dream just been terribly corrupt?

It didn't even matter anymore.

Naruto whipped a scrap of paper and shiny ballpoint pen from his pocket. As he sat down slowly in the fourth row on the right, he blinked at the harsh light fixtures, blinked, and then scribbled the sentence:

'This her?'

"Yes…" The voice spoke over the headphones. Naruto nodded and sat down next to the woman he was here for. Fourth row, on the right? Kirai-sama couldn't be wrong; was never wrong and would never be wrong. After all, he had taken him in, raised him, after he remembered nothing. Had nothing. Was nothing. There she was, reading a newspaper, just as he said she would be.

She was certainly one of the prettiest people that Kirai-sama had ever asked him to dispose of. But she was clearly stupid and easily seducible Her mark, the Sound seal that Naruto would look for before he killed anyone (3) was beneath a thin neck-scarf.

"…Don't get cocky again, Naruto. Hurry up."

The earphones jolted him to life. "Hai." It was simple. Naruto had ten minutes. He didn't care about the pushy man over the phone; he didn't care about the attractive woman next to him. All that got through to his soul was the soft hum of the tracks and their sparks as they collided with the train like the ferocious heartbeats that slammed against his chest. "Hmm…hmmm…. hmm."

"Excuse me, what are you listening to?" It was brunette woman sitting next to him, yelling slightly. The blonde grinned his flashy white smile. He could hear of her course, there wasn't any music at all.

"Gackt." He breathed his alias in his charming facade.

"Ha-ha. He's pretty crazy isn't he? I prefer the classics."

She grinned back, winking.

"You have good taste." Reserved but charming as hell, they exchanged another quick, slightly charged glance.

My…has she fallen already? Much less bright than I thought, Kirai-sama.

"Hyaka-shikyo no jutsu." He didn't even need the hand signs anymore. Quick death, a fast death. A death fifteen minutes later when she would fall, due to a lack of a wet-floor sign. He was like a God now thanks to Kirai-sama and the jutsu he had taught Naruto, being able to control death and life and choose who got what.

"Excuse me?" The woman turned from her horoscope blinking, eyes wide as a fragile doe.

"Oh nothing." Naruto responded. The subway thrusted into the station and Naruto got up, still smiling. "Sorry, this is my stop. I'll be seeing you."

"Of course." She winked again, Naruto grinned. Poor girl.

As he stepped off the subway and into the dank corridors, he peered out of the corner of his eyes a janitor mopping carelessly and then leaving.

Naruto scoffed and headed in the opposite direction.

* * *

The blonde threw his backpack onto the plush queen bed along with the chunky white headset he was forced to walk around with. Then he collapsed around them.

The phone rang abruptly a moment later. Kirai-sama, he thought. How much I want to make you proud…

"Hello Naru-chan"

Naruto smiled slightly at the familiar voice.

"It went well."

"Did you see it through?"

Naruto was silent for a moment.

"No, but after I've done your jutsu so many times, I figured I have it down flawless."

"I understand."

Silence.  
"What's my next target?"

Kirai-sama's soft, quiet laugh filled the receiver.

"He's powerful. Denies his ties to the Sound through hiding his mark (4). Not only that, he can probably kill you if you don't make the right moves…."

It was Naruto's turn to laugh.

"Please. I've got a demon inside me more terrifying anything this boy can give me. Don't you agree, Kirai-sama?"

There was a pause.

"Kirai-sama?"

But the man on the end of the line had hung up.

* * *

"I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy at all, Sakura-Chan! I swear it by Kami himself!" (5) Sakura rolled her eyes at the raven-haired boy's antics.

"If an entire village thinks so, it has to make you wonder." The girl watched her best friend huff in annoyance.

It was Naruto; it always came back to Naruto. The crazy jonin goose-chases, the dangerous missions to nowhere, all in search of him…those speeches. He had lost position as chief of the ANBU black-ops because of this.

Sasuke was silent and he crossed his arms over his chest.

No matter how insane he makes poor Sasuke-kun, I have no control over it. I loved Naruto too, Sasuke, but I know he's never coming back. And when Sasuke finally comes home, only to find him gone a long time ago. He was devastated. Sasuke will always deny this hold Naruto has on him. Till he's blue in the face. No matter how plain it is to everyone.

Even himself.

"But everyone thinks I'm insane, they do." Sasuke raved, wide-eyed and anxious. "They think that since I made a few mistakes with some bad people makes me crazy."

"Well, it has nothing to do with Orochimaru or the Sound."

"Why then, Sakura-san!?! WHY!" Sasuke's hands flew to hers and he looked her straight in the eyes. "They call me insane!"

"Well, Sasuke, look at you!" She screeched. This was not the man she had fallen in love with all those years ago. He was crazy.

Looking for Naruto everyday, obsessing, it's all made him shunned. It's made him…hated…for having hope no one else has the courage to have.

He thought he was in control of everything, and everyday that drove Sakura Haruno mad.

Sasuke had even told her he honestly thought and shared feelings through his two years of therapy that made him absolutely, criminally crazy.

Itachi was 'surely dead already from all the death glares, prayers and hopes because and he hadn't seen him in years'. That 'Naruto was on his way home and was just lost due to bad directions'. That he 'wasn't threatened because he was formerly from the Sound and hired killers were after those surviving'. Sasuke Uchiha literally thought he was God.

And it made her insane.

Sasuke was not even a shadow of who he used to be.

And it made her insane.

"If Naruto just came back, then-"(6)

"I'm sick of it, Sasuke. You're not getting any better!" She trusted her clipboard onto the mahogany coffee table, making poor Sasuke back into his chair.

"Two years of therapy?!?!?!? Tsunade's appointed me as your fucking physiatrist because you're so messed up, but it doesn't work because you're so fucking stubborn! Your ARE crazy, Sasuke! It's not them, its you! Itachi is NOT dead because of your death glares and praying! You ARE in danger from assassins! And most of all, Naruto is NOT coming home!"

Sasuke looked into his lap, clutching the edges plush chair across from Sakura. His eyes were wide and memorizing and for a moment, Sakura thought she caught a glimpse of how Sasuke used to be.

"God, I wanted to say that for years."

But in a moment they were back as terrified, antsy, and tragic as before.

"Itachi's not dead?"

"I'm afraid not."

"…I'm going to get killed by assassins?"

"If you don't get your self-righteous head out of your self-righteous ass, then yes."

"…Naruto…"

"…No…. Sasuke-kun."

Silence

"How come you add the honorific, unfamiliar suffix 'kun', Sakura'?" Sasuke asked quietly. "We've known each other for years."

"Because I don't know you anymore, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke sprung up and quickly left that moment, closing the door softly, leaving Sakura in the chic, red, regally decorated room by her lonesome. She instantly dialed Tsunade. The blonde woman wasn't just her mentor, her sensei and her Hokage, but her friend that she trusted with these issues.

"Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade sighed with fatigue over the line. "I'm very busy. There were more killings from good ninja who've cleared their name of the Sound. Even cut all ties. And they're still getting killed."

Sakura knew all about it. Sasuke was soon to be next. She bent over the windowsill and brushed the gold-embroidered curtain out of the way so she could see through the window. Sasuke was there, standing outside her office. What could he be doing now, Kami?!?

"I know about the killings. But I have some news about Sasuke-kun."

"Oh fuck. Is he even crazier now than ever?" Tsunade hissed. Sakura glanced back out the window. "Because I really don't want to deal with him right now. I might insist on more therapy." Sasuke had slipped to the ground, knees tucked to his chest, balling his slim figure. And he was trembling slightly while the light sparkled off the wet spots on his flawless, beautiful face.

"So what is it Sakura? Does he need anymore help?" She sighed. "Because I suppose I can appoint it."

"…No…" She smiled sadly, blinking in a vain attempt to remove the blur from her vision. "He's cured…"

* * *

Kirai-sama liked how his pet name was spoken through a hotel room phone in Naruto's strong voice. It made him scared, frightened. Something he had never felt before. Kirai-sama meant master. He was Naruto's master. In control of all that power and all that raw strength. He could wish Naruto to do anything he wanted. And he found that mildly amusing.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Kirai-sama?" Naruto mumbled. "I was just about leaving. What would you like?" There's always time for him.

"Come over to my hotel room, I would like to speak to you."

"Where, witch hotel? What room number…?"

"Seiko hotel. Room 304."

"…That would make you…" Naruto took the phone from his ear and cocked an eyebrow.

"Right…here." A voice whispered from the threshold. Naruto bolted upright off his bed. The stoic boy he knew to be master was stunning, to say the least. He was a bit older, a bit wiser, and a bit smarter. But Naruto was stronger, taller, and more masculine. The handsome blonde completed the raven-haired beauty, and it almost excited Kirai-sama.

"H-hello." Naruto stuttered.

He hadn't expected to be without a shirt, without pants and dripping wet in only a pair of plain red boxers (though the Santa Claus ones would have been worse). It was even worse to know that Kirai-sama now was aware that Naruto had been lying when he said he was almost ready to leave for the next target. "I'm sorry, I had to take a shower."

"Yeah…" The other man said. "I understand." Master stretched out his limber, lithe, cat-like figure that even when standing on his tiptoes and reaching his arms to the sky, couldn't touch the top of the door. He was by far shorter, but Naruto hated to think of him that way. He was master…he was leader. And he was his best friend too; more so than anyone in the Akatsuki.

Master nodded, brushed his long bangs over his shoulder and sat down on the bed next to Naruto.

Naruto sat upright. They're exchanged a long, thoughtful glance, eyes blinking half-shut, a look only people with such a relationship could, while Kirai-sama drinking in the masculine odor. The thick, smoldering glance was so fierce it terrified him, and yet…excited him? Was it that Master was so close and so warm…and he was so cold?

"I wanted to tell you…" Master was biting his lower lip as he whispered hotly into Naruto's ear. "About your…target." His full, red lips curved into a slight frown. Naruto felt something blossom under his collarbone.

What are you thinking, Uzumaki? Kirai-sama is a guy!

You love girls more than life itself!

What are you doing! You're practically naked!

Why are you thinking this!

YOU'RE SO STUPID!

But it didn't seem to matter much. It was almost treacherous.

"W-w…wait…Master…"

"Uh…huh…" The raven-haired boy's hair hung closely to Naruto's face, tickling him, as he thought of another topic.

"Do you use strawberry shampoo?"

Master found this as a turn-off.

"Yes, I do."

Naruto grinned and brushed a piece of his Master's hair from his porcelain face.

"Hey Naruto…you may not make it back alive…" Kirai-sama said in his serious face. Not that he had any others.

"I know..." Naruto's eyes were wide and cool. "But you said this so many times before. I'll be okay, really, Master.

"Naruto I really hope to know what it's like to call someone master someday before I die too."

Naruto felt his heart freeze and he laughed a nervous laugh.

"W-what…"

Master wasn't joking, though, he was serious as ever.

Naruto backed away slightly and threw on the nearest t-shirt, and Kirai-sama shook his head slightly, looking in his lap.

"I want to let you know I think of you as a savior, Kirai-sama. A leader, an older brother."

Master's eyes widened more than Naruto had ever seen them before.

Naruto grasped his thin arm and embraced the smaller boy.

"Naruto I told you I don't like it when you touch me like this." He stated blatantly. "I don't like affection like-"

"Hush." It was strange being dominant in any conversation with Master. "Please. Let me say that I'll do anything for your. I really do like to pretend that you're my older brother or something like that."

His strong, toned, tan arms were still firmly holding Master's thin wrists,

Master pulled away violently and headed for the door to his room.

"…Wait, Kirai-sama! I'm sorry if I said something bad. Really, I love you, like a brother, like something beyond anything I could ever feel for anyone. So what's wrong?'

"It's fine, Naruto." Kirai-sama was always cool and collective; that was the only time ever Naruto had seen something close to emotion in his cold black eyes. In fact, he could have almost smiled. Almost. "Its just that I failed someone as an older brother once."

"Who, Master?"

"Did I tell you about your mission?" He was avoiding the question and Naruto would press no further for now. "Sasuke Uchiha is his name. This is dangerous. Don't speak to him." Kirai-sama wasn't even facing him anymore, witch upset Naruto slightly. "He is a powerful ninja who could easily deceive you…so find his mark and kill him."

"Yes Master. But who was your brother before me?"

"No one." He said before disappearing and whispering; "You should probably get going."

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**1. He's listening to 'master' through the headphones, but he pretends to be listening to music, so he hums.**

**2. Alias for someone ( you probably already know who) that will be revealed in the next chapter.**

**3. Okay. Stupid idea. Naruto's a killer who offs people who had ties to the sound village before its downfall...blah blah...that person on the subway did, so he killed her using this jutsu blah blah blah...**

**4. Sasuke WAS part of the sound...heheh.**

**5. Okay, Sasuke's out of character. Everyone in the village thinks he's crazy cuz after Naruto left he serched for him constantly. Sakura's his therapist (**

**6. Naruto left the leaf village right before the downfall of the Sound. After that, apparently, as you can see, he 'forgot' everything in his past. you'll figure out why.**

**Okay, if it sucks, PM me with tips, okay? No mean reveiws please. I'm big on compliments ( I swear it gets better, and theres lemon scenes. Plot twists. Everything. btw (AGAIN) kirai-sama is just an alias for someone!**

**SO REVEIW! **

**-bankotsuchick**


	2. 2

Alright, its been a long time, but my last reveiw encouraged me. If you like Roses Are Red, that will be updated tomorrow!

FINALLY! oh yes, and p.s please tell me if you would like to see a doujinshi made of any of my fanfictions! I'm a talented young artist!

-bankotsuchick

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Like war without cause, no one to lead it 

_Hate is a demon who bites the hand who feeds it.

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BANG! BANG! BANG!

Sasuke had ignored the incessant banging on his door for the past hour as he watched his ABC Soap Opera, but this was enough. He ran a furious hand through his raven hair and begrudgingly removed himself from the imprent his lanky body made on How was he supposed to learn if Jason was the father of Elizabeth's son if someone was rude enough to interrupt him?

"…Well, I may be 'crazy', but I have Orochimaru's powers as well as the Uchiha clans…" The raven haired boy seethed, his breath tinted with languor. Sasuke even wondered why anyone bothered to annoy him anymore. Finally, he reached the front door, squinting at the harsh light.

"Sasuke-kun, we're going to do something about this."

"Sakura, I just got up. Can't this wait till later?"  
"Sasuke, its three pm!" Her eyes hardened, and brushing a pink strand of hair from her face, she crossed her arms like an angry mother. Just looking over her best friend as a lithe looking figure shadowing who he once was seemed painful. There was a stark beauty to Sasuke's face that Sakura Haruno almost had to frown at, almost wishing she would have a day to spend in the other's skin. Thick, thick black eye lashes, so long they were almost beautifully feminine. Raven hair in light tresses that almost touched his width-lacking shoulders. And a almost lanky but still toned physique that his clothes draped stunningly over. Eyes so blueish-black she could drown in them.

"So? You're interrupting my Soap Opera!"  
Sakura was disgusted. Then, "Witch one…?"

"General Hospital."

"Oh my god…. is Jason the father of Jake?"

"I don't know, you interrupted me!"

"Hurry up!" She pushed Sasuke back into his own house and they both mindlessly watched T.V for the remaing 45 minutes. (Jason was in fact the father-Sasuke felt bad for Elizabeth's husband who had not yet found out) until Sakura switched it off, seeming to push her dissapointment in herself completely onto him.

"…hey what about 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?'" Sakura resisted the urge to give in.

"No, Sasuke. Your sitting here wasting away to nothing. Look, you haven't eaten in forever, I can tell by those bones, Sasuke, and it looks unheathly." Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest. "Your going to lose that shinobi figure." She smiled and straightened her back and reinforced her motherly tone. "And what's with these clothes?" Frowning, she pointed a finger at his outfit. "Sweatpants, Sasuke?!?!?!?!?" Sasuke looked shamefully down at his feet, waiting out the worst of Sakura's tirade. "When's the last time that you took a shower?"

"Tuesday."

"But it is Tuesday…"

"Not this Tuesday…"

"…Eww…"

"Sakura, I don't want to here you criticize me all day!" Sasuke snarled and the pink-haired kunoichi felt a stab of his vivacious chakra. "I've had enough!" His eyes flickered Sharinghan for the first time in years. Sakura grinned and flung her arms around him.

"Sasuke, I know you just need a little pushing. I'm pretty confident that somewhere around all that crazy, you have a straight head. You're a good guy." Without knowing weather to say a word, be it curse or compliment, then lifted the corner of his mouth in a somewhat sincere smile.

"Thanks Sakura-Chan."

"Your welcome…Sasuke-Chan…"

Sasuke smiled slightly more while Sakura glanced at her watch.

"Oh fuck!" She mumbled. "Sorry Sasuke, but I have to go."

"…. oh…" Sasuke spoke quietly, words splashed with false ennui, this time scratching the back of his head and looking away. "See you around."

Sakura leaned across the couch kissed him on the cheek and smiled, collecting her bag and her wits about herself, standing up and moving to the threshold.

"My advice, Sasu-chan?" She said as she clicked the lock for the door. "On the road to happiness? Cry a little. Take a shower for god sakes. Cry some more. Go on a mission. Maybe even get a job. Take a bubble bath. Buy a soy latte and go for a walk."

"Thank you." Sasuke half-slimed through his tiered eyes.

She loved more than anything to see that handsome boy smile like that. "No problem, Sasuke-chan. I'll just see you around."

* * *

It had been two days, and Sasuke had done nothing Sakura had suggested. She was away with Lee on a mission that Sasuke had been invited to but declined using the excuse that he had to do laundry. Now he was sorry.

It was pouring rain and he was finally going to go on that walk that Sakura had urged him to. Now he was stuck inside for a few more hours until it cleared up.

"I'm more confused that I thought I would be." Sasuke mumbled simply to hear a voice. His apartment wasn't particularly large and he had never found the time ot look for a better one, though everytime he looked apon it he frowned at Sasuke Uchiha, of the Uchiha-clan for godsakes, living in such a place. All the money his parents had left was gone; he had blown it away thoughtlessly on search partities to look for his dear departed friend.

But now it seemed he didn't know what to do anymore. He would ask Sakura, he would call her cell phone. Because surely, she knew more than he did.

"Sakura-chan…how was the mission?"

"Hello Sasuke. It was fine, we'll be heading back tomorrow. Still doing laundry?" Her voice crackled like newspaper in the wind, bubbling, a sound he liked.

"Sakura, what do I do?" He mumbled, quietly, like he was embarrassed. "To fill up time everyday?"

"Oh Sasuke…try getting a girlfriend…"  
"…there's something else there, too, Sakura. Like you know..."

"Lonleness, maybe?"

"I don't know."

"You have to get over it sometime or later or Tsunade is going to slaughter you." Sasuke rolled his eyes over the line, and someplace Sakura could tell that was the case. "You seem to be moving on but your having trouble with it, you know? Like you don't want to leave all that hurt behind because it just might leave you with nothing?"

The raven haired boy felt his face grow hot. "...Sakura, what on earth?" And she smiled.

"…. You wanna knows something? Someting I've been thinking about lately? I'm convinced he thinks about us too."

"Really now?" Sasuke concealed his emotion in his voice, moving his finger to the 'end' button.

"Yes, I do. I promise you Sasuke, if I can promise anything."

"Thank you Sakura, that's all I needed to know."

* * *

Ring, Ring. Loud and tinny, breaking the think air that hung in his cheap apartment like a weight on his chest, Kakashi Hitake's eyes blinked open with hazardous delay.

Ring, Ring.

"Hey, Kaka-kun speakin'." He mumbled into the receive, blinking.

"Hello, Kakashi-kun." It was Sasuke, quiet and respectful as always, but unusually calm and collected. "I don't feel very well. Do you want to come…over or something?" Sasuke Uchiha was the only person Kakashi knew who had a strange but regretful need for contact, for affection. Wheather it was because he had been starved for it for so long, or because he had been so close to Naruto and still missed it, Kakashi was unsure.

All he knew was that Sasuke Uchiha did not get sick, and this was no exception.

"How bout' you come here, Sasuke? You do sound rather awful."

"Sure, I'm on my way, Kakashi."

"Great, I'll throw on some clothes-" That made the younger, raven-haired boy blush furiously over the line though he knew what his teacher meant-"And pick up the place a little."  
"I'm going to pick up some food, okay? For both of us. Really fucking starved here. Haven't eaten in well days, really. And I bet in your state, single, handsome, lonely and bored, haven't had anything good either."

The older man grinned over the line at the boy, tossing back his head and running a hand over his sculpted jaw line, dappled with stubble. Sarcastically, he muttered, suave as ever:

"Et tu, _'Brutus'_?"

* * *

Naruto had done nothing but run without thinking until he came to the gates of Konoha. He was sure that he had felt something that he was almost positive to be nostalgia, but it was impossible. He had never been here in his entire life.

The only place he had known was the Akatsuki and Tenno-sama's small place near the land of water.

_Then why do I feel this way? _

Naruto slipped on a small rice-farming hat that Master had leant him, executed his jutsu, sending three jonin to deaths in an hour later, and continued on his search for the mysterious Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke had just slipped on an over coat when he had stepped on something, something that made the sound of newspaper in the wind, a sound he liked. He looked down on the ground and knelt to pick it up. It was a note. Old. Something Sasuke had seen many times before, something he had promised he would give to Sakura a year ago but tragically, never had.

_Sasuke, I love you. You mean more to me than I'll never know or hope to know. I'm sorry, Sasuke. I'd like to think that maybe you'll be happier after this. That maybe, possibly, you'll smile a little. Be happy someday, and I'll be happy too. Get a married, get a job, and get a real good life. I love you, Sasuke. I hope you don't cry. I might have to hit you real hard with these new jutsu I'm learning. That'll show you, you bastard._

_From,_

_Naruto._

Sasuke didn't cry. He swallowed slightly, but the lump in his throat only moved higher until he was sure that he was choking and this trecherously hot pain that swelled in his chest did not subside.

"You're being stupid, Sasuke. You should have thrown this away years ago, not hid it in the pocket of this old coat."

Sasuke stared at it for a moment, as if drinking in the last of that smell of Naruto, that last smell of heat, fabric softener and baked apples. And maybe those cerulean eyes would open and look into his. Maybe they could fight and train, laugh, get into arguments, and Sasuke could go home by himself and cry for real for reasons he didn't even know.

It always came down to Naruto. When he would sit in the park or his room, trying to empty his head, he couldn't remove Naruto. He couldn't go without seeing those bright blue eyes when he looked into the skies or his sunny blonde hair.

And whenever he felt anything, witch wasn't very often, those few moments when his best friends in the whole world, Neji and Gaara or Sakura would say something stupid, dirty, or funny, he would think of Naruto. When Sakura would tell him he was hopeless or when villagers would call him insane, he would think of Naruto. If Naruto was laughing or crying too. It was stupid, it was wrong, but it was Sasuke.

Sasuke stood up, brushed off his knees, flipped the collar of the coat and shut the door behind him.

* * *

Moving through the shallow crowd of villagers, parting for him like water, waiting for a head of raven hair in this sea of people.

There was nothing, though, no one that caught his eye, not a soul who dared to even catch his glace.

"Master..." Naruto mumbled through the mouthpeice concealed in his jacket-collar, looking up at the dismal skies. "Are you sure he lives here? And that he is outside as well? Wouldn't he be in his house like a sane man in this kind of weather?" Droplets fell onto his open palm.

"...no. This is not a sane man, Naruto and I should have told you.."

Naruto made not a complaint and kept on walking, from time to time looking at the houses, street signs and stone faces in the distance, but saw nothing.

* * *

As Sasuke stepped out into the cold, nipping air, he was sure that he felt a pair of eyes seering into his flesh. He spun around, sharingan blazing, but he saw nothing.

Fifty miles away and almost home, Sakura Haruno felt a foreign pain in her chest. Sasuke flashed through her mind and for a moment she was afraid, then terribly sad. But she was sure it was nothing, nothing at all.

* * *

Now Naruto was sure that was the boy he was looking for.

He was gorgeous, and at first Naruto had mistaken him for Tenno-sama, without Master's longer hair and infamous clothing.

"Tenno-sama?" Naruto whispered, leaning against the brick wall of an alleyway. "Was that him?"

Naruto shut his eyes and pictured the boy he had seen buying a single pink rose from the Yamanaka flower shop.

Hundreds of miles away, Master blinked his bold red eyes and saw the same thing Naruto was. He nodded to himself and breathed 'yes, that's your target, Naru-chan.' Naruto adjusted his headphones and professionally nodded back, though the other could see neither.

"Hurry up Naruto." The blonde could here the raven-haired man speaking his thoughts over the chunky white headphones. "Don't get killed."

"Tenno-sama!" Naruto reprimanded quietly as he peered at vendors and storeowners closing up for the night. "I told you not to worry! You'll only get wrinkles in that perfect white skin of yours."

"Be quiet, fool." He mumbled back, hiding his crimson-stained cheeks in shame, though he wasn't visible. Instinctively, he rubbed the lines that ran vertically down his cheekbone in a slight curvature. "Keep your eyes on your target."

It was just as easy said as done. A face that perfect stood out like a sore thumb.

"Right. Sorry, Tenno-sama."

Tenno-sama said nothing.

Naruto was gaining behind him from a distance, but closing the gap. Another brink alleyway behind a ramen shop that bore the name Ichiruka's was where he would find the boy's mark and kill him as fast as he could.

"Don't touch him, just kill him." Naruto was confused. It was almost as

Tenno-sama was angry, agitated or…jealous?  
"Right. Don't worry."

"I don't worry, Naruto-chan, I only order."

Then, he was gone.

* * *

Sasuke was aware of the figure tailing him, and he was walking as fast and as inconspicuously as possible, taking a long rout to Kakashi's. Alone, it would be hard to face a powerful enemy if he hadn't fought against anyone in years.

"Damn…" Sasuke slipped into the alley behind the ramen shop. Suddenly, as he heard the words 'Rui-shin no jutsu."

Sasuke had not turned to face him yet, though Naruto had just stole all his Chakara using his 'weak heart' jutsu, at the expense, of course, of his also being used.

Sasuke Uchiha was clearly smaller than he was; the boy had the shoulders of a thin, twelve year old girl. And he was far shorter. If he stood next to Naruto, he was lower than his shoulder, making him no taller than five-six or seven or at best eight, witch he was sure Sasuke Uchiha was embarrassed about. And lean instead of built, because his arms and legs were thin and lengthy, while his torso was flat and slim. His graceful posture made Naruto assume that he was a jutsu man, not a true, Taijutsu, physical fighter.

This was perfect. In less than five minutes, Naruto would be returning home to Tenno-sama.

* * *

Master adjusted his slashed, Leaf-village headband before sitting down on his bed. Naruto called him Tenno-sama, Master, and such because he didn't even know his real name. Nobody called him by that anymore, and he was sure he never wanted all of them to again.

"It doesn't matter…" Master mumbled as he tore of his cloak and spread it out on his bed before flopping down on it. He rubbed his chiseled jaw line with his small, but slightly calloused hands and ran a hand through his flawless black hair. "When Sasuke dies, people will forget all about my name, my old home, and my old ties. When Sasuke dies, no one will ever know me as Itachi Uchiha again."

* * *

The breath of a boy in terror is no different from the breathing of his customary manners; fast, harsh, ragged. It is revealed in the eyes say; those eyes must be bitter and distant; irked, and prideful. Naruto could not see Sasuke Uchiha's eyes but he knew just from being feet away in the darkest, dankest, alley way he had ever stepped into in his whole life, there lived some foreign fear.

Eyes like those did not fear, they did not love, they did not hate, that much was true, and Naruto couldn't see any of those things in eyes black like those.

But he could feel it.

"Who are you!" Sasuke hissed, snapping Naruto out of his daze so he could watch the raven-haired boy fall to his knees with an incredible weakness flooding over him. "If you're here for what I think you are, I'll put up a hell of a fight."

People were still after those connected to the sound, and bonds like that were hard to sever.

But the blonde knew he was bluffing. In no time, Naruto could overpower him physically and end his life.

"Well, you might as well know, Sasuke Uchiha." The deeper pitch cut into the air like a kunai against light.

Why does his voice sound so familiar? 

"…I might as well tell you my name. Because everyone should know what I'm doing. I'm protecting this world from people like you…Sasuke-kun."

How come when ever he says my name, tears come to my eyes? 

Sasuke spun around as he saw the man coming closer. This could be trouble. Though he couldn't see the figure's face, he could see that he was outmatched. This was a healthy young man, muscular and fit, probably his age or even older. And he was strong-willed and had chakra that was regenerating ten times faster than Sasuke's, who was still powerless.

"Take off that hat, you coward!" Sasuke spat, making a vain attempt to stumble to his feet. "Show me your face and tell me your fucking name already!" The man started to laugh at the feistiness in the raven-haired boy's tone that was bleeding anger.

"Don't you dare laugh at m-me!"

_I feel so weak…_ Sasuke had been in worse situations, for sure, but not like this, where he was simply outmatched in a one-on-one fight. This man was amazing, and at first he believed him to be Itachi when he felt such chakra.

Then as the figure was close enough to touch, the boyish smell of heat, fabric softener and baked apples enveloped him, horridly nostalgic, and Sasuke just couldn't place it.

Naruto did as told and lifted his fingers to the rice-farming hat, looking into the miffed eyes as big and wide as saucers and black as death.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

As soon as Naruto looked into those miserably confused eyes, he hit the ground.

* * *

**liked it? REVEIW! The next chapter gets into deep narusasu, meaning hard-core lemon.**

**teehehe...**

**again, REVEIW!**

**-bankotsuchick**


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